bondjamesbond wrote: ↑Wed Oct 22, 2025 11:11 pm
even in vanilla game more advanced technology than we have in the modern )
It will come, but I don't intend to give the best equipment available now
Since you complain about it regularly, I explain my choices
I don't choose the progress of the unit roster randomly.
Basically, other than the feeling of progress, I want to give choices and force the player to think strategically what is the best weapon for his need. If the best equipment is available at every chapters 1 for each factions, we lost a big interest of the core army creation. We would just take the best equipment available, and done.
I'm currently trying Russia 9, I'll use it as an example.
The artillery roster looks like that, for now :
It is not a random selection.
- Players that want an artillery unit able to support an assault will take the self-propelled artillery. Gvozdika and Khosta can move and fire during the same turn, and are enough armored to take ennemy artillery fire without too much suppression or casualties. Perfect to support an assault ;
- Players that want an artillery able to quickly "snipe" from afar need the BM-21 grad. Fast with a long range, but not armored at all. It is best used to supress key ennemy assets while the opponent can't react, or urgently deliver an artillery barrage ; but it is not advised to take one of them to support a defense. Ennemy artillery will target it first, and it will be less effective than the SPA in this role ;
- Towed artillery are at that point the most powerful of the 3, but can't move then shoot. It can cause ravage but need time to be operational and can't follow troops closely in an assault. It's a massive disadvantage, but it's superior firepower can be useful in some situations or if the player favor a slower approach.
Three choices for the same role, but in the end three different playstyles. Players have to think what is the best for his need.
Now, let's say that I add the modern equipment : You could just take directly the 2S19 Msta-S.
- it fills the role of the self-propelled artillery, with it's mobility and armor ;
- it has the range of russian MLRS ;
- It has better gun than all the towed artillery.
Taking it is the only reasonable option.
From an army creation perspective, it is not an interesting choice. IMO, it's better to put this equipment available later in the campaign. Not at the end either, heh, but not at the start.
but at that point, the artillery selection is an interesting choice.
The choice between T-64s and old T-72s in Chapter 2 is in the same spirit.
- T-72s evolve into the best russian armored units (other than the T-14 and T-90, but they cost a lot more that they are not necessarly better), but at that point of the campaign they are old and less effective than the other choice ;
- T-64s evolve into nothing, but at that point they are better than the T-72s available.
Either the player take the best equipment for those scenarios, but he will have to pay twice to transform them into T-72 units later ; either he buy T-72s, but the missions will be tougher.
You can find this pattern in other campaigns as well.
AMX-30 tank is decomissioned since several decades, but it is still the only available french armor in the european campaign.
Why ? Because it allows the italian Ariete to play a role until the Leclerc become available, or that the German Leopard 2 also join the european roster. It is outclassed by both those tanks and thus don't have other opportunities to be played. So, I gave it a little spot, and the player have the the choice to continue with experimented AMX-30s that can be replaced by Leclercs in the future, or take some better tanks for now that will be less useful in the next european campaigns.
Basically, the Ariete is the T-64 of the european campaign
It is the best in the short-term, but a dead-end in the core army creation. I let the player choose while giving him a valid reason to choose to deploy them, even if Ariete are usually not good units at all in the mod.
Other possibility in this campaign, the player can try to use wheeled vehicles only instead of tanks : AMX-10 is pretty deadly if combined with RPG and anti-tank units. And happy coincidence : the very first scenario gave both AMX-10 and VAB Mephisto (carrying ATGM). They should have enough experience to play their roles well, at this point
When I said it was not random, I wasn't lying
So, I don't intend to give the best shiny equipment yet. Prove to your high-commands (in the plural, since you fight in the service of everyone
) that you deserve the best your countr(ies) can offer first
